Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Fate or Foreshadowing?

I have always believed that we are put here for a reason, and while we may not know exactly what that reason is, sooner or later some of the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together.
When I was a junior in high school, we had a special dinner. This was a celebration for all of the kids in the eleventh grade, similar to a junior prom.We all met for a pre-party, then went off to a dinner at a fancy catering hall.It was tradition at our school, and it kind of turned into a weekend filled with fun.
Prior to the dinner, we all met at a classmate's house. Her mom threw a big party,where we all gathered to show off our new outfits, chit chat and get ready for a fun evening. Of course, there were a million pictures to be taken. Above, is a picture of myself and one of my friends inside the office of the mother hosting the party. She, as I remember, was either a psychologist or a psychiatrist. I remember walking into her office to take a few pictures, then we all left, excited to get on with the evening ahead.
I have looked at this picture many, many times over the years, and never thought of anything more than the fun memories of that night. However, over the last ten years, whenever I looked at it ,I saw something completely different. One,and only one thing in this photo stands out to me. If you look carefully at the bookshelves behind us, you will see many books, but also one book with very large writing. That book says AUTISM. Oddly enough, it is also in black and white, the exact same colors I was wearing that night.
Of course, that evening I paid absolutely no attention to what was on those shelves. Even if I had noticed that book, it would have meant nothing to me,as I had no idea what autism was. Little did I know then what an impact autism would have on my family's life.
Now, some may call this a coincidence, others may call it fate. I like to think of it as being similar to looking ahead at the pages of a really great story. My amazing story with Mikey. It was a very slight glimpse into my future.Funny thing is , I didn't know it then, and never thought to look for it. You see, that is the beauty of this life.....things unfold when they are supposed to, and things happen to us for a reason. I truly believe it is all part of a grand plan.I certainly cannot explain it all, but I can accept it all, find the beauty in it, and know in my heart, that this is all supposed to be part of my journey.